


Ordinary Magic

by NanakiBH



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Halloween, Heartwarming, M/M, Post-Canon, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 13:04:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16476083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: Radiant Garden is celebrating Halloween and Ienzo is READY.





	Ordinary Magic

**Author's Note:**

> It always feels so precarious to write something post-canon for this series. lol Let's just assume that everyone will be safe and happy!
> 
> The games haven't given me much to work with, but I've been enjoying this characterization of older Ienzo as someone who's still typically quiet and a bit sarcastic, but also very eager to share what he knows. That's the sort of impression I've gotten from him. It's cute. I hope you're into that, too.
> 
> Happy Halloween!

“Ienzo!”

 

As expected...

 

“Ienzo, where are-...!”

 

Even's loud voice abruptly stopped and was followed by the sound of his footsteps as he quickly descended the castle stairs to where Ienzo was sitting in front of the gate.

Ienzo came prepared. He pushed the spare stool over, offering Even a seat next to him.

Even stood by his side, looking down at him.

“Master Ansem said I would find you here.”

“Then you didn't have to yell, did you?” Ienzo said, lifting the wide brim of his hat to look up at him.

Even just stared at him, appraising his appearance. “What is all this?” he asked, gesturing to the whole of what Ienzo was wearing.

“You can't tell?”

“I'm asking, aren't I?”

Ienzo stood up and turned around once, letting him have a look at the hard work he spent on his black garments and ornate mantle. He took off his pointed hat and held it to his chest, taking a proud bow before reclaiming his seat. “I'm a wizard. Fitting, is it not? It's my first ever Halloween costume.” He produced a thick book from underneath his mantle. “I thought the children would be delighted to see a few magic tricks, but...”

“You aren't going to get any trick-or-treaters up here,” Even said. “The path to the castle is too far to justify one or two pieces of candy. You would have gotten more traffic if you went down to the plaza.”

Ienzo slumped, letting out a sigh. “Yes, you're right.” He took a tentative glance over his shoulder, looking in the direction of the entrance. “Dilan and Aeleus didn't want to let me out of their sight. It's like they don't trust me to be out on my own. I'm not a child...”

“That's too bad,” Even said, finally taking the seat that had been offered. “You never did get to go trick-or-treating as a child, did you? I remember, everyone was always too busy. Around here, it was like the holiday didn't even exist.”

“I was never disappointed,” Ienzo said. He smiled softly to himself as he chose a piece of candy from his stock and unwrapped it. “It wasn't like I had friends outside of the castle. Halloween didn't mean anything to me, either.”

A moment later, as he was enjoying his candy, he realized that Even was giving him a skeptical look. It was probably hard for him to believe that he wasn't disappointed – not while he was sitting there wearing a Halloween costume, eating candy, and expectantly waiting for trick-or-treaters.

“This is the image of a man who was deprived as a child.”

Ienzo picked up his plastic, pumpkin-shaped bucket of candy by the handle and offered it to him.

“Do you want some?”

“Are you mocking me?”

Ienzo shrugged and set it down between his feet. “More for me...”

Even was warmer than he used to be, but he was still stiff. Ienzo didn't mind. If he got any warmer, the icy Even he knew would have melted into someone unrecognizable. His chilly disposition was one of his charm points, and Ienzo was glad that Even still hadn't realized it for himself. The parts of him that others found frustrating were the things that Ienzo found endearing. He'd become an expert at navigating his moods and mannerisms.

“So,” he said, rooting through the candy for a piece that Even would like, “what did you want me for?”

“Hm?”

“Ah, here.” He took one of Even's hands and placed a piece of hard candy in the center of his palm. He looked up at him, catching his eyes, searching for an honest answer. “Why were you looking for me?”

Even pulled his eyes away and nervously fidgeted with the wrapper. “Well. You know.”

“I don't.” Ienzo leaned closer to him and grinned a secret grin as Even leaned away and avoided eye contact. “I'm asking, aren't I?”

“S-Stop that.”

Ienzo relented. He sat back, putting one leg over the other. He enjoyed teasing him, but he didn't want to be a menace.

He found another hard candy and set it on Even's knee. “Another treat for Even.”

Even looked at it. He put his candy in his mouth and pocketed the spare. His toe anxiously tapped the ground, and it took a few more moments before he decided to speak, no doubt having carefully chosen the words that would embarrass him the least.

“The lab was quiet.”

Ienzo tried to hide his smile. “I see...”

In other words, he didn't like being there without him. Even had gotten used to his presence and felt uncomfortable when he wasn't around. If Ienzo ever took off without announcing where he was going and when he would return, Even would always inevitably come looking for him. He just couldn't stand to be alone.

Ienzo stood, taking his bucket of candy with him. “Well, what do you say? Would you like to escort me to town to help me get rid of this candy?”

“I doubt that our lovely guards would deem me fit to be your chaperone,” Even said, rubbing the back of his neck, sounding resigned. When he stood up, however, he flashed Ienzo a mischievous smirk. “But I don't require their permission, do I?”

“We won't have much time,” Ienzo lamented as he looked up at the sky. The sun had already begun its descent over the town, red and orange burning up the horizon behind the buildings. Children weren't allowed to stay out past sunset, so their time was dwindling quickly.

Without a word, Even was already walking down the path. Ienzo hurried his way to his side and smiled to himself as he aligned his step.

 

When he returned to his original self, he thought that he would remember everything, but some things still remained a blur. He couldn't even remember when or how he came to live with Ansem and the others. Things were fine as they were, though. He didn't feel the need to know everything.

When he was younger, he was always wandering in a daze as if he were looking for something. The city was big. He wandered away and looked in every place he could reach, but the thing he was looking for was never there.

He remembered feeling empty, silently desperate for something that would fill him.

That desperation was strong enough to make him trust someone like Xehanort. In a way, Xehanort had made good on what he promised him, ridding him of his desperation, but he rid him of everything else as well, making it so he felt nothing at all. He'd simply replaced one problem with another, making him more empty than empty.

In hindsight, Ienzo realized what a foolish child he'd been. The thing he was blindly looking for had always been right there.

 

The sun set so quickly.

 

He didn't lament the time that was lost, truly. He was glad to be older, to understand where they went wrong, to know what they could do in the future to protect what was important to them. The curiosity of a scientist was insatiable, but he would never let their curiosity risk their hearts again. Because of everything, even the mistakes, he was stronger.

“Ienzo?”

“Y-Yes...?”

It seemed they'd already reached the plaza gates without him even realizing. Even was waiting for him to follow. He probably didn't want him to go wandering off without him.

Ienzo looked to the street across the way. “Let's try to make it to the end of the street while there's still light.”

There were kids everywhere. Some of them were followed by their parents, but others were old enough to be running about together. It was an unusual sight to see so many children there at a time in the evening when the plaza was normally quiet and empty. Ienzo had never seen so many people there at once. It made him wonder if it was the same way on other holidays.

Despite how many children there were, none of them were coming near the castle gates.

Ienzo looked up at Even. “I wonder if they're afraid of the castle...”

“What do you think?” Even said sarcastically. “Have you looked at it recently? It's not exactly what it used to be.”

Indeed. The castle didn't even need to be decorated for Halloween when it already looked like a haunted mansion. Its dilapidated exterior more than likely struck fear in the hearts of the children who looked up at it; a formidable, intimidating sight. Ienzo couldn't help but feel partially responsible for the condition it had fallen into.

 

As they were about to continue into the flow of trick-or-treaters, one little boy who was dressed like a knight suddenly came to a stop in front of them.

“Did... Did you just come from the castle?” he asked, eyes wide, the sound of astonishment in his voice.

“Oh...” Ienzo scratched his cheek and sent Even a nervous glance, hoping that he'd give him backup if he needed it. “I suppose it would be a rather unusual occurrence to see people coming from the castle now, wouldn't it? It sat still for so long and it wasn't until recently that people began living here again...”

Two of the boy's friends ran over to find out what was keeping him. The boy grabbed the sleeve of the other boy who was dressed like a prince and tugged on it insistently while pointing at Ienzo and Even.

“They came from the castle!” he said.

His friend swatted his hand away. “Yeah right. Nobody lives there, only ghosts.”

Although he was probably just referring to a rumor, Ienzo got whiplash from the way his words were delivered with such uncompromising certainty. For an absurd moment that stood on its head, Ienzo even questioned whether he was actually a ghost – maybe he just hadn't realized. It took approximately one second for him to return to his senses.

“I hate to spoil your fun, but the castle isn't haunted,” he said. “We live there.”

The boy's friend gave him a skeptical, even _irritated_ look. “What? You're lying. The people who lived in the castle are all dead now!”

The third child, a girl dressed like a princess who looked a little younger than the two boys, attempted to interject with a small voice. “I think he might be telling the truth... I heard that there was a mad scientist who performed disturbing experiments there...” She pointed at Even. “He looks like a mad scientist.”

Even made a face and scoffed. “How dare you. This is my costume.”

Ienzo felt bad that he had to call him out on such a convincing lie. His lab coat was perfect for trick-or-treating.

“Well... We actually _are_ scientists, so some of what you heard must have been correct.” Even the part about them being dead wasn't necessarily wrong. Technically, they _had_ been out of commission for a while. After they became Nobodies, he and Even spent most of their days in two different castles. It was a long time before they returned to where they belonged.

“You don't look like a scientist,” the little girl replied.

“That's right. Because, today, I'm a wizard!” Ienzo said, setting down his candy bucket, excitedly pulling his lexicon out from under his mantle. “Shall I astound you with a magic trick?”

Even lowered himself for a second to speak with them on their level. “Please humor him. He's been dying to do this.”

“I can hear you...” Ienzo mumbled.

To his surprise and delight, the three children stayed. He realized that they were probably curious about things other than his 'magic tricks', though. They probably only wanted to hear more about the castle and what sort of mysterious science things they got up to inside. It wasn't nearly as exciting as they imagined, but he didn't want to disappoint them with the truth.

He cleared his throat and held up his lexicon.

“Tell me, what does this book look like to you?” he asked.

The boy in the prince costume squinted, trying to get a better look at the cover. It didn't have any words on the cover to distinguish it, so he was forced to use his imagination. “I dunno. It's huge. Is it some kind of encyclopedia?”

“It just looks like a regular book to me,” the knight boy said.

“Exactly!” Ienzo said, so pleased that they'd given the answer he was hoping for. “This book is a book like any other. In form and function, there's nothing about it that differentiates it from any other book. It's just like an encyclopedia, a dictionary, or even the boring textbooks they have you reading in class. The difference is found in here,” he said, letting go of the book to place his hand over his chest.

The book remained in the air.

The little girl gasped, taken aback by the impossible sight. “It's really magic!”

“What? No, it's not,” the boy in the prince costume insisted. “It's just a trick. It's not really floating. There's gotta be a wire somewhere.”

He was rather stubborn. His cynical attitude reminded Ienzo of someone...

Ienzo spun his lexicon around with a wave of a finger. “What is a trick but a skill? Magic spells are just words. Truth be told, I don't even need this book anymore to perform the magic its pages tell of. I just enjoy reading it.” 

To demonstrate what sort of magic he was referring to, he left his lexicon where it was and made himself appear behind them in a flash. Surprised by his sudden disappearance, they frantically looked around and almost bumped into him when they turned around all at once.

“H-How did you...?” The stubborn boy remained stubbornly skeptical, quickly checking the empty spot where Ienzo had been standing for clues to explain how he'd gotten behind them without them noticing.

“Go ahead,” Ienzo said, gesturing at his lexicon. “Take it and see for yourself that there are no strings attached.”

The boy waved a hand under the book, checking for wires. When he found none, he stood on his tiptoes and pulled it down from the air. No matter how many times he turned it around in his hands, however, he wasn't going to find the trick to it.

The little girl tugged on the end of Ienzo's mantle to get his attention.

“S-So you're a real wizard?” she asked. Timidly, she looked at Even as well. “And you're a real scientist?”

“We're both scientists...” Even mumbled, bewildered. The children were really throwing him for a loop.

Ienzo looked at the three children. “Magic and science aren't that different. You just have to believe that there's a way to turn an idea into reality. All words hold a certain amount of magic. I'm sure you've noticed it before – that feeling you get when someone says just the right thing. You can use that magic to hurt someone, to bring them to tears, or you could use it to heal them.”

In his experience, it had always been that easy. Extraordinary circumstances aside, he was just like anyone else. Compared to the others who were in the Organization, his abilities were just average. He did what he could with what he had, meaning that he ended up relying a lot on his heart – more than he even realized at the time.

 

The little girl gasped. She gingerly touched her cheek, catching a falling tear.

“Huh? I'm-... Why am I...?”

 

The magic in his words must have reached her.

 

“Oh dear...” Ienzo retrieved his candy bucket and knelt in front of her, offering. “Here, please, take some candy.”

Another Ienzo approached the boy to retrieve his lexicon.

“Wait, there are two of you?!” he exclaimed, stumbling backwards, voice rising with surprise. He clutched the book and ran circles around Ienzo's copy. When he couldn't figure out why there were suddenly two of him, he came to a stop and reached out to touch him. The second his fingers confirmed that he was solid, he drew back his hand. “A-Are you twins? How the heck...?”

Even quietly stepped behind the other Ienzo, then gave it a firm shove with his elbow. Although that Ienzo seemed to react as if hurt, it instantly vanished. Even held out a hand and the boy apprehensively handed over the book.

“ _Hey._ ” Ienzo stared up at Even with his eyes narrowed. “What would you have done if that was the real me?”

Even shrugged, appearing unconcerned. “Does it matter? I can always tell which one is the real you.”

Ienzo and Even watched as the little girl ran over to the boy who first approached them to whisper something in his ear. She sent a couple nervous glances their way, then shyly ducked behind her friend when she was finished whispering. The little boy nodded and looked up at them.

“She- Um... _We_ wanna know if it would be okay to visit the castle sometime. You seem like you know how to tell a story.”

Ienzo had never thought about it that way... Most of his books didn't qualify as 'stories'. The majority of them were poetic, abstract things that would have probably been difficult for a child to understand. But he'd managed somehow when he was their age. His understanding of their complexity only got sharper as he got older, letting him wield them with greater proficiency. So, if he'd been able do it...

He stroked his chin. “That's a tough one. Normally, visitors aren't allowed... But I think the castle guards will make an exception for a few bright young children.” He smiled at them and looked at the one other boy who was still sulking. “What about you? Will you come, too?”

He grumbled, staring at the ground. “Hmph... Fine, whatever!” And then he ran off.

The other two children shouted after their friend, but he didn't stop, quickly disappearing down the street amid the crowd of other trick-or-treaters.

The little knight boy grabbed the girl's hand. Before they ran off, he turned back to Ienzo.

“Thanks for the tricks and treats, uh-...”

“Ienzo,” he volunteered. “I'll let the guards know I'm expecting my apprentices.”

They looked like they enjoyed their new title. Beaming brightly, they ran after their friend, laughing and holding hands.

Even though the town had seen dark times, at that moment, the place before Ienzo's eyes appeared to be filled with more light than he'd ever seen. The thing he'd once searched high and low to find was there beside him and everywhere. It was even inside of him; the tender, warm feeling in his heart.

 

It wasn't until the children were long out of sight that Ienzo realized that the two boys hadn't even taken any candy. They must've been satisfied with what they received.

 

“So, what did you think of my trick?” he asked Even. “Did my magic reach you, too?”

Even was still standing there holding the lexicon, looking at the cover with a complicated, contemplative feeling written in his features. After a moment's silence, he let out a breath. “Where did you learn that?” he asked, lifting his gaze to meet Ienzo's.

“From you and the others, of course,” Ienzo said. He plucked the book from Even's fingers, then began to walk toward the street, looking over his shoulder only once to make sure that Even was following him. “I was telling those kids the truth, you know. There's really nothing special about it.”

“That's obviously not true... Your understanding of things has always been special. You didn't learn any of that from me.”

Slowly, Ienzo came to a stop.

The regretful note he heard in Even's voice was uncommon, but it wasn't something he hadn't heard before. Once Ienzo returned to his original self, everything became clearer to him; their past, their lives as Nobodies, and the lives they returned to... It was all connected. Looking back, the flow of time looked continuous, without flaw.

Even had always struggled with his feelings. His heart had always been heavy.

But, the more he struggled, the more his emotions spilled from within. They covered him until he was awash in them.

Just by being near such a person...

“You taught me a whole language.”

Even looked away, his cheeks coloring. “Quiet. H-how can you say such embarrassing things with a straight face?”

“Because it embarrasses you. I'm used to it, personally.”

“That's dirty. No respect. You definitely didn't get _that_ from me!”

Ienzo chose not to comment.

Even bristled, becoming redder. “...Whatever!”

While laughing softly at his childishness, Ienzo tucked his lexicon under his mantle and took Even's arm. Raising the hand holding his candy bucket, he pointed toward the street. “Shall we, my chaperone?”

Quickly, before Ienzo could react, Even grasped the brim of his hat and pulled it down to shield them from the eyes of onlookers as he stole a kiss.

Then, acting as though he hadn't done a thing, he dragged a speechless Ienzo along with him.


End file.
